UTHealth Houston Dental School Interview: DDS 2026-27

UTHealth Houston DDS guide from its pages and TMDSAS: a required, scored interview with a committee member or designee, the Oct 1 deadline, Dec 15 offers.

UTHealth Houston requires an interview, by invitation only, before its Dental Admissions Committee makes a final decision: an Admissions Committee member or designee conducts it, and the interviewing committee member scores it. Texas residents must apply through TMDSAS; others may use TMDSAS, which the school prefers, or AADSAS. Here is what the school and TMDSAS publish, what applicants report, and how to prepare. return ( <> UTHealth Houston DDS Requirements and Class Profile UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, calls itself the first dental school in Texas: it was founded on February 11, 1905, as Texas Dental College, and joined The University of Texas System in 1943. It sits in the Texas Medical Center, in Houston. Students are expected to finish the DDS in four academic years, and the program runs through the calendar year, with about four weeks off in the summer

(not consecutive), three at the end of the fall semester and one during the spring semester. The Class of 2030 started on August 17, 2026. UTHealth Houston's catalog says "UTSD applications may be made through the TMDSAS or the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service. Application is preferred through TMDSAS and is required of Texas resident applicants." So if you are a Texas resident, you apply through TMDSAS , the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service; if you aren't, you may use TMDSAS, which the school prefers, or AADSAS. Either way, the school accepts applications "only between May 1 and October 1 of the year preceding expected matriculation," so for a fall 2027 start the deadline was October 1, 2026, and it has passed. On TMDSAS, the school is listed as UT School of Dentistry at Houston. Its news office has published each of the last three entering classes' numbers: Figure. Class of 2030 (started August

17, 2026). Class of 2029 (started August 11, 2025). Class of 2028 (started August 19, 2024). Applicants. 2,229. 1,890. 1,694. Interviews. 263. 253. 266. New students. 106. 106. 106. Texas residents. 101. 97. 101. Average GPA. 3.87. 3.88. 3.88. Average BCPM GPA (biology, chemistry, physics and math). 3.82. 3.83. 3.83. Average DAT score. 470 (200–600 scale). 470 (200–600 scale). 23 (old 1–30 scale). Colleges and universities represented. 33. 28. 31. Average age. 22. 21. 23. Which DAT scale is 470 on?. The 200–600 scale the DAT has used since 1 March 2025. UTHealth Houston's catalog notes that "The two-digit score reporting scale (1 to 30) was replaced by a three-digit reporting scale (200 to 600)," and 470 is a three-digit score. The class stories don't say which DAT score they average (the Academic Average or another), give no old-scale equivalent, or say how they counted tests taken before the change, and we don't convert any. The Class

of 2028's 23 is on the old 1–30 scale. The pages we read give no minimum GPA or DAT score, and UTHealth Houston publishes counts, not an acceptance rate; we don't compute one. In state or out of state? The catalog says "Qualified legal residents of Texas are given preference," and "Non-resident students will be limited to not more than a certain percentage of the total enrollment per class established by the Texas State Legislature." It doesn't give the percentage. In the Class of 2030, 101 of the 106 new students were Texas residents. TMDSAS decides who counts as one: the school's page for accepted students says "All residency decisions are determined by TMDSAS," and TMDSAS says that to be confirmed as a Texas resident for a fall 2027 start, you need to have established and maintained Texas residency in the 12 months before its October 2026 deadline. Not a US citizen or permanent resident?. TMDSAS's residency page lists UT School of

Dentistry at Houston among the schools that "will only review and consider for admissions applicants who are U.S. citizens or legal Permanent Residents of the U.S." If your status is different, confirm with the school's Office of Student and Academic Affairs, sod-studentaffairs@uth.tmc.edu, before you apply. Internationally trained dentists: see the note just before the practice questions, below. Prerequisite coursework Course. Semester hours. Quarter hours. Biological sciences, including 3 semester hours (5 quarter hours) of microbiology. 14 (12 lecture, 2 formal lab). 21 (18 lecture, 3 lab). General (inorganic) chemistry, with labs. 8 (6 lecture, 2 lab). 12 (9 lecture, 3 lab). Organic chemistry, with labs. 8 (6 lecture, 2 lab). 12 (9 lecture, 3 lab). Biochemistry, on top of the 14 hours of biology. 3. 5. Physics, with labs. 8 (6 lecture, 2 lab). 12 (9 lecture, 3 lab). College English. 6. 9. Statistics. 3. 5. Hours and degree: at least

90 semester hours (134 quarter hours) at a regionally accredited US or Canadian college or university, and graduate courses don't count toward the 90 hours or the required coursework. TMDSAS's policies page says "Coursework taken at a foreign institution that was accepted at a regionally accredited institution will count towards the 90-hour requirement," while the catalog wants the 90 hours "at a regionally accredited US or Canadian college or university." If you are counting foreign credit, go by the catalog and confirm with sod-studentaffairs@uth.tmc.edu. "Baccalaureate degrees are highly desirable," but the catalog adds that "exceptionally mature students without a degree with outstanding academic records, superior performance on the respective admissions test, and highly desirable personal qualifications may be considered for admission." Grades and course types: each required course needs a C or better, and "Courses taken Pass/Fail

or Credit/No Credit will not count towards meeting the requirement." Courses for non-science majors or health career majors, such as nursing, pharmacy or allied health, don't count: required coursework "must be applicable to a traditional science degree." Statistics "should be taught in a Math or Statistics Department," and for general chemistry the catalog says courses such as physical chemistry and quantitative analysis "may also satisfy the requirement." Where and when: every required course at a regionally accredited US or Canadian school; foreign coursework doesn't count, "even if transfer credit has been given for them by a US or Canadian school." AP credit counts only if the school granting it lists the specific courses and units on an official transcript ("Lump sum credit is not accepted"). Everything must be finished "before or by the time of enrollment into UTSD." Beyond the minimum: "Applicants are best served to take

additional upper-level coursework so they are better prepared for the academic rigors of dental school." The DAT: required. The catalog says it "should be taken in the spring of the year in which the application is initiated." TMDSAS's dental rules for this cycle: "The DAT must be taken within the last five years," a DAT taken before 2022 isn't considered, and you must take it for the first time before December 2026. TMDSAS recommends the spring or summer before you apply, "but no later than December 1st of the application cycle." Release your scores through the ADA to at least one of the dental schools you apply to; scores released to any of the four Texas dental schools go to TMDSAS automatically. Letters, through TMDSAS: TMDSAS's dental rules call for three letters or evaluation forms, one of them from a dentist, or one health professions committee letter or packet that includes a dentist's letter, plus one optional extra letter. The

catalog asks for an evaluation from your health professions advisor or committee, or from "two academic professors of the applicant’s choosing" ("If an Advisor or Advisory Committee is on the applicant’s undergraduate campus, a letter from them is desired"), and says "A letter of evaluation is also required from a practicing dentist." TMDSAS asks for letters by October 15. Transcripts, photos and the fee: the catalog lists official transcripts and "Photographs for each school and the Application Service" among what the application service must receive. The catalog and TMDSAS differ on transcripts: TMDSAS says "Only send transcripts when requested by TMDSAS. Transcripts submitted prior to the request will not be kept on file," and it requests them from dental applicants who have been accepted. Go by TMDSAS for a TMDSAS application: don't send them early, but have every official transcript ready to send as soon as it asks. They also

differ on the fee: the catalog describes one "based on the number of schools to which you apply and your Texas residency," while TMDSAS asks for "$235 payment for the application," says "it’s a flat fee," takes credit cards only and grants no fee waivers. The fee is TMDSAS's, so pay what its payment page asks when you submit. If either matters to your application, confirm with sod-studentaffairs@uth.tmc.edu. Dental experience: the pages we read set no minimum number of shadowing hours. The letter from a practicing dentist is required, and the admissions policy weighs "demonstrated significant effort in seeking knowledge regarding the practice of dentistry." Essential functions: "All individuals who apply for admission and those admitted to UTSD, without exception, must be able to perform essential functions, with or without reasonable accommodation," among them "the manual dexterity to execute gross and fine motor movements required to

provide dental care for their patients within the mandated time frame established by the curriculum and licensing boards." A graduate statistics course? The catalog and TMDSAS differ. UTHealth Houston's catalog says "Graduate courses do not satisfy the 90-hour requirement or the required coursework." TMDSAS's policies page says "Graduate courses may only be used to satisfy the Statistics requirement," and TMDSAS also says each participating school "determines its own course requirements for admission." Go by the stricter reading, the school's: take statistics as an undergraduate course, and confirm with sod-studentaffairs@uth.tmc.edu. CASPer, Kira or a secondary application?. UTHealth Houston's DDS pages and the DDS and admissions policy pages of its 2026–2027 catalog don't mention CASPer, Acuity Insights, Kira or any similar assessment, or a secondary application. TMDSAS's list of schools that require CASPer has medical and veterinary

sections and names no dental school, and its list of dental schools that require a secondary application names only Texas A&M. What the catalog asks for is your application, transcripts, letters, DAT scores and photographs and, if you are invited, an interview. The bench exam in the catalog is for advanced standing applicants, graduates of dental schools not accredited by the American Dental Association who would join the DDS in its second year, not for applicants to the four-year DDS. The catalog sends questions about the status of a completed application to the Office of Student and Academic Affairs at sod-studentaffairs@uth.tmc.edu, and questions about whether your application is complete to TMDSAS. The UTHealth Houston Interview: What the School Says The school's 2026–2027 catalog describes the interview in one paragraph of its admissions policy: Required before any final decision. "An interview is required before the Dental

Admissions Committee will make a final determination regarding any applicant." By invitation only. "Interviews are arranged by invitation only." The pages we read don't say how invitations are sent, how far ahead, or in which months. Conducted by a committee member or designee, and scored. "An Admissions Committee member or designee conducts all interviews. The interviewing committee member scores interview candidates, which further contributes to the overall evaluation of the applicant." The catalog doesn't say how many interviews or interviewers you will have, or whether they will have read your application. It informs you, too. Interviews "are conducted both for the Committee's informational purposes and to provide the applicant with information about dentistry and the School of Dentistry program." It probes the same criteria as your application. "The interview is a substantive step in the admissions process and will be used to

investigate the criteria noted above further": the seven factors under What UTHealth Houston Looks For, below. One part of the committee's total evaluation. "The selection of the entering class is based upon the total evaluation conducted by the Dental Admissions Committee incorporating the criteria listed above." The committee "is composed of faculty members, student members, and ex officio members"; the catalog doesn't say which of them, or which designees, conduct interviews. What UTHealth Houston doesn't publish. Whether the interview is in person or virtual, how long it lasts, how many people interview you, whether they have read your file, what is asked, which months interviews run, and what else happens on the day. TMDSAS's dental FAQ, a page that still shows 2021–22 dates, says "Each school has its own protocol with regards to interviews." Go by your invitation, and ask sod-studentaffairs@uth.tmc.edu if anything in it is

unclear. TMDSAS's rules cover the interview too. "Applicants must respond promptly to all invitations for an interview," and if you can't attend, "The cancellation should be undertaken by telephone with the school, followed by an email"; a short-notice cancellation "is considered unprofessional." Its Code of Professionalism for Applicants, which its member schools "acknowledge and embrace," says applicants "are considered to be under evaluation throughout the entire interview day, including breaks between interviews or sessions." For a virtual interview it asks you to keep your camera on and to be "in a private, quiet space free of distractions"; in person or online, it expects you to attend alone, dressed "in attire that is appropriate for a professional school interview." It also rules out "sharing, soliciting, or disseminating restricted information about interview formats, questions, or internal evaluation criteria," so don't go

looking for leaked questions. What applicants report These come from a public applicant forum and the forum's invite tracker, which a volunteer compiles from applicants' reports, not from UTHealth Houston or TMDSAS: This cycle (2026–27): the tracker, last updated 25 September 2026, lists UTHealth Houston's first invitations on 3 August and a first interview date of 25 August, in person. As of 7 October 2026, the forum's UTHealth Houston thread for this cycle held only its opening post, and no invitation had been reported there. Last cycle (2025–26): the tracker, last updated 22 October 2025, listed first invitations on 1 August 2025 and a first interview date of 26 August 2025, in person. In last cycle's thread, one applicant posted on 15 December 2025, "Accepted at 12:00 AM CST by email!" On 21 January 2026 another, answering a question about recent invites, wrote, "I just got an interview invitation yesterday so they're definitely

still sending some out." None of the 11 posts in that thread, nor this cycle's opening post, describes the interview itself: in person or virtual, how many interviewers, how long, or what was asked. Practice Your UTHealth Houston Answers Out Loud. UTHealth Houston's catalog says an Admissions Committee member or designee conducts every interview, the interviewing committee member scores it, and it probes the same criteria as your application. Practice motivation, behavioral and ethical answers out loud, with a specific example for each criterion, and get instant AI feedback on structure and clarity.. Start Practicing Free →. UTHealth Houston's 2026–27 Timeline, Through TMDSAS UTHealth Houston's own pages give one window, May 1 to October 1. The rest of the calendar comes from TMDSAS's dental dates for Entry Year 2027, the class that starts in fall 2027: When. What happens. Whose rule. May 1, 2026. “TMDSAS application becomes available

at 8 a.m. CST”; UTHealth Houston's window for applications opened. TMDSAS; UTHealth Houston's catalog. May 15, 2026. “TMDSAS application submission opens at 8 a.m. CST”. TMDSAS. August to January, typically. Interviews: UTHealth Houston gives no months; TMDSAS's dental FAQ says “Typically, interviews for dental schools take place from August to January”. TMDSAS (an FAQ page that still shows 2021–22 dates). October 1, 2026 (passed). “Submission deadline for application to the dental and medical programs”: every section complete and paid for; “TMDSAS does not grant deadline extensions under any circumstances”. TMDSAS; UTHealth Houston's catalog. October 15, 2026. Letters of evaluation “should be uploaded or post-marked by this date”; after it, accepting them is up to each school. TMDSAS. Before December 2026. Take the DAT for the first time; TMDSAS asks you to list planned test dates through December 1, 2026. TMDSAS. December 15, 2026.

“Dental schools begin extending offers of acceptance”. TMDSAS. April 15, 2027. “Dental schools can no longer make offers to applicants holding another seat”. TMDSAS. Fall 2027. Classes begin (the Class of 2030 started on August 17, 2026). TMDSAS; the school's news office. The forum's tracker puts UTHealth Houston's first interviews in late August in both recent cycles, and one applicant posted on 21 January 2026 that they had received an invitation the day before: applicant reports, not the school's words. TMDSAS warns that "Some schools will not extend an interview offer until all letters of evaluation and test scores have been received," and its dental FAQ (the page with 2021–22 dates) says it is up to each school "whether or not they notify you if you have not been selected for an interview." Planning for a future cycle? TMDSAS's deadlines page puts the October 1 cutoff at 11:59 p.m. CST, while its policies page, which still shows

last cycle's dates, says 5:00 pm CT: submit before the earlier time. No match for dental applicants. If you know the medical side of TMDSAS, don't carry its rules over. TMDSAS's Match is for medical applicants: "Only Texas resident medical applicants who have been interviewed by at least one TMDSAS school by the School Rank Preference Deadline will participate in the TMDSAS Match," and it "applies to admission into participating schools’ MD and DO programs only." The pre-match offers it describes are medical too: "Prior to the match, medical schools may extend offers of acceptance to Texas residents for a period between October 15th and January 31st." Its dental calendar has no match or ranking date: dental schools begin extending offers on December 15. Holding more than one dental offer. TMDSAS's calendar says that from April 15, 2027, "Dental schools can no longer make offers to applicants holding another seat." Its dental FAQ, a page

that still gives 2021–22 dates (December 1, 2021 for first offers and May 1, 2022 for that cutoff), says applicants with offers from more than one dental school "must choose the one school that he/she prefers and withdraw from the other school(s) in accordance with the terms of the acceptance (generally this should be within a two week period)." Go by this cycle's calendar and the terms of your offer. If you're accepted, UTHealth Houston's page for accepted DDS students says to reply first to "the email that you received notifying you of your conditional acceptance" and to sign and email back a Letter of Intent. The catalog makes every offer "expressly contingent upon the successful completion and review of a criminal background check, which is required before matriculation," and adds, "No plan for admission or reporting to The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston should be made until official notice of acceptance has been

received." The pages we read give no deposit, waitlist process or 2027 start date. What UTHealth Houston Looks For UTHealth Houston's Dental Admissions Committee "considers the application in its entirety and gives importance to the following factors," seven in all, and its catalog says the interview "will be used to investigate the criteria noted above further." Treat the list as your interview checklist, and have one specific example for each: Intellectual capacity: your records, "academic progression/regression," test scores, awards, "a history of research accomplishments," the "degree of difficulty of the undergraduate educational program," pre-professional evaluations and the "personal interview." Be ready to explain the trend in your grades, and to describe any research you did in your own words. Interpersonal and communication skills: service, activities, leadership, employment, "recognition for humanitarian service," "awareness

and direct knowledge of cultural elements as they may have an impact on healthcare," "expression of future goals in the written essay" and "statements made on the application or in the personal interview." What you say should match what you wrote. Knowledge of the profession: "an understanding of factors that have an impact on access to care, along with the social and financial implications," lifelong learning, and "demonstrated significant effort in seeking knowledge regarding the practice of dentistry or participation in oral health promotion activities." Know what keeps people from dental care where you live, and what you have learned from the dentists you have worked with or observed. Potential for service to the State of Texas: among other things, your goals, the "size and location of hometown and whether the applicant resides in a Health Professions Shortage Area," the "potential for future provision of health services to

underserved areas or needed specialties" and "linguistic skills appropriate to the Health Professions Shortage Area the applicant wishes to serve." If you speak another language or come from an underserved area, say so, and connect it to where you want to practice. Motivation: "success in overcoming adverse personal, economic, or educational conditions," "employment during undergraduate education," "activities requiring time management skills," "experience in health-related activities" and "heavier than normal academic course loads (≥ 18 hours/semester)." If you worked through college or carried 18-hour semesters, make it part of your story. Integrity: professional evaluations, "any academic integrity violation," "commission of a crime" and "any other relevant background relating either positively or negatively to the applicant’s standard of integrity." If something in your record needs explaining, prepare a short, honest account of

what happened and what you changed. Essential skills: "psychomotor skills (fine motor dexterity and coordination) and observational skills (vision, hearing, and tactile abilities) sufficient to master the clinical procedures essential to treating oral disease, with or without reasonable accommodation." Have one example of precise work with your hands. The catalog's essential functions, which every applicant must be able to perform with or without reasonable accommodation, add that students must "be able to communicate effectively with patients and patient family members, peers, staff, faculty, and other members of the health care team," "demonstrate sensitivity to cultural, emotional, and societal issues," "be able to interact collegially and demonstrate the ability to participate in teamwork," "demonstrate the ability to be compassionate, empathic, and tolerant," "tolerate physically taxing workloads and function effectively under

stress," and "be able to adapt to changing environments, respond appropriately to unpredictable circumstances, and display flexibility." Each makes a good behavioral question. The best Why UTHealth Houston material is in its history, simulation and clinics. UTHealth Houston calls itself the first dental school in Texas and sits in the Texas Medical Center. In its Clinical Simulation and Learning Center, "students practice on virtual patients with lifelike cases — complete with digital records, diagnostic images, and 3D models before treating real patients in our modern clinics." In its student clinics, dental and dental hygiene students under faculty supervision treat patients, "providing an affordable oral health care option," and its Special Patient Care clinic assesses adults with complex medical or physical needs. First-year courses include Ethics in Dentistry and Introduction to Population Health, and the Class of 2030's

orientation included the W. Kenneth Horwitz Professionalism and Ethics Lecture, which the school calls "an annual orientation tradition focused on the values that guide a career in dentistry." The DDS/MPH, a 45-credit-hour pathway with the UTHealth School of Public Health, is completed during the four years of dental school, and you apply to it separately. Student groups include the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association, the Student National Dental Association and the Hispanic Student Dental Association. Connect one of these to how you want to learn and whom you want to serve. The practice questions below are ours, built on these criteria. UTHealth Houston does not publish its interview questions. Internationally trained dentist? UTHealth Houston's International Dentist Education Program is "a pathway leading to a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree program for dentists who have obtained their dental degree outside the United

States," separate from the four-year DDS this guide covers; compare programs in our CAAPID program finder . ); }; export default UTHealthHoustonDentalSchoolInterview; uthealth-houston-dental-school-interview UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry UTHealth Houston UTHealth Houston Dental School Interview (DDS) 2026- TMDSAS Interview & Requirements UTHealth Houston Dental School DDS 2026-27 UTHealth Houston DDS guide from its pages and a required scored interview with a committee member or designee the Oct 1 deadline Dec 15 offers. UTHealth Houston dental school interview UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry interview UT Houston dental school interview UTSD Houston DDS interview UTHealth Houston DDS requirements UTHealth Houston dental school requirements TMDSAS dental school interview 2026-10-07 2026-10-07 Domestic Program Interview with an Admissions Committee member or designee scored (setting not published) UTHealth Houston requires an

interview by invitation only before its Dental Admissions Committee makes a final an Admissions Committee member or designee conducts it and the interviewing committee member scores it. Texas residents must apply through TMDSAS; others may use TMDSAS which the school prefers or AADSAS. Here is what the school and TMDSAS publish what applicants report and how to prepare. Texas residents must apply through TMDSAS (“required of Texas resident applicants”) others through TMDSAS (“preferred”) or AADSAS and the catalog says “An Admissions Committee member or designee conducts all interviews” and “The interviewing committee member scores interview candidates.” Degree DDS (four academic years year round) Texas Medical Center Houston Texas Application preferred and required of Texas residents; non-residents may apply through AADSAS Interview Required before a final decision; by invitation only Who Interviews “An Admissions Committee member or

designee conducts all interviews”; the interviewing committee member scores it Interview Setting Not published (a public forum s invite tracker which a volunteer compiles from applicants reports lists in person) Interviews Months not published; TMDSAS s dental FAQ (a page with 2021–22 dates) says dental interviews “typically” run August to January Deadline October 1 2026 (passed): applications accepted “only between May 1 and October 1 ” through TMDSAS or AADSAS Offers Dental schools begin extending offers December 15 2026 (TMDSAS); no match for dental applicants CASPer / Kira Not on UTHealth Houston s DDS pages; TMDSAS names no dental school for CASPer Secondary Application None on the school s pages; TMDSAS lists only Texas A&M among dental schools Class of 2030 106 new students from 2 229 applicants and 263 interviews; started August 17 2026 GPA / DAT Average GPA 3.87 BCPM 3.82; average DAT score 470 on the 200–600 scale section not

stated (Class of 2030) Residency “Qualified legal residents of Texas are given preference”; 101 of 106 in the Class of 2030; non-residents limited to a share the Texas Legislature sets Citizenship TMDSAS lists it among schools that “will only review and consider for admissions applicants who are U.S. citizens or legal Permanent Residents of the U.S.” requirements Requirements & Class Profile 2 prerequisites Prerequisite Coursework 3 interview-format What UTHealth Houston Says About the Interview 2 what-applicants-report What Applicants Report 3 timeline UTHealth Houston s Timeline Through TMDSAS 2 what-uthealth-houston-looks-for What UTHealth Houston Looks For 2 sample-questions Practice Interview Questions 2 preparation-tips Expert Preparation Tips 2 admissions-stats Admissions Statistics 2 prep-checklist Prep Checklist 2 faq FAQ 2 Traditional / Motivational Tell me about yourself. UTHealth Houston does not publish its interview

questions; these are practice questions built on what its catalog says it weighs. Its pages don t say whether whoever interviews you will have read your application so build a 90-second answer that works either who you are the experiences that led you to dentistry and why UTHealth Houston is the next step. Why dentistry? UTHealth Houston s catalog weighs “Knowledge of the profession ” including “demonstrated significant effort in seeking knowledge regarding the practice of dentistry ” and TMDSAS s dental personal statement asks you “to explain your motivation to seek a career in dentistry.” Anchor your answer in something specific you saw or did in a dental setting and make sure it fits what your essay says. Why UTHealth Houston? Use what the school says about the first dental school in Texas in the Texas Medical Center; a Clinical Simulation and Learning Center where students practice on virtual patients before treating real ones;

student clinics “providing an affordable oral health care option”; and a DDS/MPH pathway completed during the four years of dental school. Connect one of these to how you want to learn or whom you want to serve; Houston alone is not a reason. Where do you want to practice and whom do you want to serve? The catalog weighs “Potential for service to the State of Texas ” including your goals your hometown and whether you live in a Health Professions Shortage Area and your “potential for future provision of health services to underserved areas or needed specialties.” Give a specific honest answer about where and whom and why; don t promise more than you mean. Behavioral Tell me about a time a team you were on wasn t working well. What did you do? UTHealth Houston s essential functions say students must “be able to interact collegially and demonstrate the ability to participate in teamwork.” Keep the setup short show what you did to get the

team working and say what changed. Describe a challenge you overcame and what it taught you. Under Motivation the catalog weighs “success in overcoming adverse personal economic or educational conditions.” Pick a real challenge spend most of your answer on what you did and what you learned and keep it honest rather than dramatic. How have you handled a heavy workload? Motivation also covers “employment during undergraduate education ” “activities requiring time management skills” and “heavier than normal academic course loads (≥ 18 hours/semester) ” and the essential functions ask students to “tolerate physically taxing workloads and function effectively under stress.” Use a real what you carried how you planned it and what you would do differently. Tell me about a service or leadership experience that mattered to you. The catalog judges interpersonal and communication skills on among other things “community or charitable service

extracurricular activities and organizations leadership positions employment history.” Pick one experience and show what you did whom it served and what it taught you about working with people. Ethical / Scenario You see a classmate cheating on an exam. What do you do? Integrity is one of UTHealth Houston s seven admissions factors including “any academic integrity violation ” and its catalog lists “cheating on course work” among the grounds for student discipline. Describe an escalation path from a direct conversation to the proper channel and say why integrity matters when patients trust you. A patient needs treatment they cannot afford. What do you do? The catalog weighs “an understanding of factors that have an impact on access to care along with the social and financial implications ” and the school says its student clinics provide “an affordable oral health care option.” Acknowledge the patient without judgment explore legitimate

options such as phased treatment and never lower the standard of care. Show your reasoning; a question like this rarely has a single right answer. A patient from a different background seems uneasy about your treatment plan. How do you respond? UTHealth Houston s essential functions ask students to “demonstrate sensitivity to cultural emotional and societal issues ” and its admissions policy values “awareness and direct knowledge of cultural elements as they may have an impact on healthcare.” Ask before you assume explain the plan in plain words respect the patient s decision and involve your supervising dentist. You make a mistake that affects a patient. What do you do? The essential functions say students must “demonstrate professional behavior and function with integrity and responsibility while maintaining a high ethical standard.” Say that you would tell your supervising faculty right away be honest with the patient put their care

first and learn from it. Prepare an example for each of the seven criteria UTHealth Houston s catalog says the interview “will be used to investigate the criteria noted above further”: intellectual capacity interpersonal and communication skills knowledge of the profession potential for service to the State of Texas motivation integrity and essential skills. Have one specific true example for each and practice saying it out loud. Reread your TMDSAS essays before the day “Essays CANNOT be changed after submitting under any circumstances ” TMDSAS says and UTHealth Houston weighs “expression of future goals in the written essay” and “statements made on the application or in the personal interview.” Reread your personal statement your Personal Characteristics essay and any optional essay so that what you say matches what you wrote. Come with questions of your own UTHealth Houston s interviews are conducted “both for the Committee s

informational purposes and to provide the applicant with information about dentistry and the School of Dentistry program.” Prepare two or three real questions about the curriculum the clinics or the DDS/MPH that its pages don t answer. Treat the whole day as the interview TMDSAS s Code of Professionalism says applicants “are considered to be under evaluation throughout the entire interview day including breaks between interviews or sessions.” Respond to your invitation promptly dress for a professional school interview attend alone keep your camera on if it s virtual and if you must cancel call the school then email. Requirement Detail Degree awarded DDS four academic years year round; Houston Texas in the Texas Medical Center Application preferred and required of Texas residents; non-Texas residents may apply through AADSAS; applications accepted only between May 1 and October 1 of the year before you start Deadline October 1 2026

(passed); letters of evaluation by October 15 2026 (TMDSAS) TMDSAS fee $235 a flat fee by credit card only; no fee waivers Secondary application None on UTHealth Houston s pages; TMDSAS s list of dental schools that require one names only Texas A&M Interview Required before a final decision by invitation only; an Admissions Committee member or designee conducts it and the interviewing committee member scores it; setting length and months not published Class of 2030 (started August 17 2026) 106 new students; 2 229 applicants; 263 interviews; 101 Texas residents GPA Class of 2030 Average GPA 3.87; average BCPM (biology chemistry physics and math) 3.82 DAT Class of 2030 Average DAT score 470 a three-digit score on the 200–600 scale; the school doesn t say which section it averages Acceptance rate Not published; the school publishes counts of applicants interviews and new students Minimum GPA or DAT None on the pages we read DAT Required;

for 2026–27 TMDSAS considers no DAT taken before 2022 and you must take it for the first time before December 2026 Prerequisites Biological sciences 14 semester hours (including 2 of lab and 3 of microbiology) general chemistry 8 organic chemistry 8 and physics 8 (each with labs) biochemistry 3 English 6 and statistics 3; C or better no pass/fail; complete by the time you enroll College hours At least 90 semester hours (134 quarter hours) at a regionally accredited US or Canadian school; graduate courses don t count; a bachelor s degree “highly desirable” Letters Through three letters one from a dentist or a committee letter or packet with a dentist s letter plus one optional extra letter CASPer / Kira Not on UTHealth Houston s DDS pages; TMDSAS s CASPer list names no dental school Residency “Qualified legal residents of Texas are given preference”; non-residents limited to a percentage of each class that the Texas Legislature sets (not

given); TMDSAS decides residency Citizenship TMDSAS lists UT School of Dentistry at Houston among schools that consider only US citizens or legal permanent residents Offers Dental schools begin extending offers December 15 2026 and from April 15 2027 can no longer make offers to applicants holding another seat (TMDSAS); no match for dental applicants Conditions Every offer depends on a criminal background check before you enroll What to have in place Every prerequisite with a C or better (no pass/fail) at a regionally accredited US or Canadian school finished by the time you enroll At least 90 semester hours (134 quarter hours); graduate courses don t count toward them A DAT taken in 2022 or later and this cycle first taken before December 2026 Three letters through TMDSAS one from a dentist or a committee letter or packet with a dentist s letter One specific example for each of the catalog s seven admissions factors Apply (TMDSAS s

calendar; the 2026–27 deadline has passed) The TMDSAS application opens May 1 and accepts submissions from May 15 Submit every section with the $235 fee by October UTHealth Houston accepts applications only between May 1 and October 1 Have your letters uploaded or post-marked by October 15 Release your DAT scores through the ADA to at least one of the dental schools you apply to and update your grades in TMDSAS at the end of each term Send transcripts only when TMDSAS asks for them If you are invited Respond promptly and if you must cancel call the school and then email Read the invitation for the setting date and UTHealth Houston doesn t publish them Reread your TMDSAS essays and your whole application Prepare a Why UTHealth Houston answer an ethical dilemma to talk through and your own questions If you are accepted Reply first to your conditional acceptance email then sign and email the Letter of Intent Complete the required criminal

background check (the school s page gives a $44 fee) Once you have decided withdraw from the other TMDSAS says applicants who have made a final decision “have the obligation to promptly withdraw their applications from other schools” Hard dates October 1 TMDSAS deadline (passed) October 15 letters of evaluation Before December your first DAT if you haven t taken one ( “before December of the application year”) December 15 dental schools begin extending offers April 15 dental schools can no longer make offers to applicants holding another seat Fall classes begin What is the UTHealth Houston dental school interview format? UTHealth Houston s catalog says “An interview is required before the Dental Admissions Committee will make a final determination regarding any applicant ” that interviews “are arranged by invitation only ” and that “An Admissions Committee member or designee conducts all interviews. The interviewing committee member

scores interview candidates which further contributes to the overall evaluation of the applicant.” The interview “will be used to investigate the criteria noted above further ” meaning the seven factors in its admissions policy and it also gives you information about dentistry and the program. The catalog doesn t say whether it is in person or virtual how long it lasts how many people interview you or what is asked. Is the UTHealth Houston dental interview virtual or in person? UTHealth Houston s pages don t say. A public forum s invite tracker which a volunteer compiles from applicants reports lists its interviews as in person in both recent cycles with first interview dates of 26 August 2025 and 25 August 2026. Those are applicant reports not the school s go by your invitation. If it is virtual TMDSAS s Code of Professionalism asks you to keep your camera on to be “in a private quiet space free of distractions” and to attend alone.

Does UTHealth Houston use the MMI? UTHealth Houston s catalog describes no MMI multiple mini interviews or it says “An Admissions Committee member or designee conducts all interviews.” It doesn t call the interview one-on-one either or say how many interviewers you will meet. No post in the public forum s 2025–26 or 2026–27 UTHealth Houston threads describes the format. Prepare specific examples for the seven criteria the catalog says the interview investigates. Do I apply to UTHealth Houston through TMDSAS or AADSAS? TMDSAS the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service if you are a Texas resident; others may use either. The catalog says “UTSD applications may be made through the TMDSAS or the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service. Application is preferred through TMDSAS and is required of Texas resident applicants.” Applications are accepted “only between May 1 and October 1 of the year preceding expected

matriculation”: for 2026–27 the deadline was October 1 2026 and it has passed. TMDSAS charges a flat $235 by credit card only. Does UTHealth Houston require CASPer or Kira? UTHealth Houston s DDS pages and the DDS and admissions policy pages of its 2026–2027 catalog don t mention CASPer Acuity Insights Kira or any similar assessment. TMDSAS s list of schools that require CASPer has medical and veterinary sections and names no dental school. Its list of dental schools that require a secondary application names only Texas A&M and UTHealth Houston s catalog lists none. The catalog s bench exam is for advanced standing applicants graduates of dental schools not accredited by the American Dental Association who would join the DDS in its second year not for applicants to the four-year DDS. What GPA and DAT do I need for UTHealth Houston dental school? The pages we read give no minimum GPA or DAT score. The catalog s initial screening looks at

your overall and science GPA your academic progression or regression your total credit hours and the DAT s natural sciences reading comprehension and perceptual ability sections. For the Class of 2030 which started on August 17 2026 the school s news office reports an average GPA of 3.87 an average BCPM of 3.82 and an average DAT score of 470 on the 200–600 scale the DAT has used since March 2025. It doesn t say which DAT section that average is and we don t convert it. Does UTHealth Houston accept out-of-state applicants? Yes but “Qualified legal residents of Texas are given preference ” and “Non-resident students will be limited to not more than a certain percentage of the total enrollment per class established by the Texas State Legislature”; the catalog doesn t give the percentage. In the Class of 2030 101 of the 106 new students were Texas residents. Non-residents may apply through TMDSAS or AADSAS and TMDSAS decides residency.

TMDSAS also lists UT School of Dentistry at Houston among the schools that “will only review and consider for admissions applicants who are U.S. citizens or legal Permanent Residents of the U.S.” When does UTHealth Houston send acceptances and is there a match? There is no match for dental TMDSAS s Match is for “Texas resident medical applicants” and “applies to admission into participating schools’ MD and DO programs only.” TMDSAS s dental calendar for this cycle says “Dental schools begin extending offers of acceptance” on December 15 2026 and that from April 15 2027 “Dental schools can no longer make offers to applicants holding another seat.” In a public forum s 2025–26 thread one applicant posted on 15 December 2025 “Accepted at 00 AM CST by email!” Accepted students are asked to reply to their conditional acceptance email and sign a Letter of Intent and every offer depends on a criminal background check. LSU Dental School

Interview Guide (DDS) In New LSU requires an interview and publishes no format; interview day includes a timed 35-minute chalk carving scored 0–10. Its September 1 deadline has passed. Domestic Program /schools/lsu-dental-school-interview Texas A&M Dental School Interview Guide (DDS) In Texas A&M s required interview with the Admissions Committee its free secondary application and TMDSAS for all applicants. Domestic Program /schools/texas-am-dental-school-interview UT San Antonio Dental School Interview Guide (DDS) In San an interview conducted by a faculty member and a third- or fourth-year student August to January; all applicants apply through TMDSAS. Domestic Program /schools/ut-san-antonio-dental-school-interview UIC Dental School Interview Guide (DMD) UIC s virtual typically closed-file faculty interview its December 1 deadline and its stated preference for Illinois residents. Domestic Program /schools/uic-dental-school-interview

UNC Dental School Interview Guide (DDS) UNC s interviews by invitation between September and November which it plans to hold in person for 2026–27 and its admitted averages of a 3.72 GPA and a 460 DAT Academic Average (200–600 scale). Domestic Program /schools/unc-dental-school-interview Utah Dental School Interview Guide (DDS) Utah s in-person-only interviews its required Casper assessment and its rule that applicants be US citizens or permanent residents. Domestic Program /schools/utah-dental-school-interview